The Not so Epic Quest to Make a Friend
by PathFinderPony
Summary: Princess Celestia thinks one of her young Ranger's is working himself too hard and missing out on what it means to enjoy his youth. She tasks him to take a break from his duties and make some friends. One slight problem. He has no idea where to start. Maybe a familiar group of ponies can show him how? First ever story and it's my OC so I hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This is my first ever fanfic so please try to take it easy on me. I'm pretty new to this whole OC thing but I've really come to enjoy the show that is MLP FiM. So this is basically my introduction of my character into the world of Equestria. This chapter is more of what my character does and a little bit of his past. Again I'm not an author and this is my first time writing one of these. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **I don't own any of the characters in this story, only Path Finder.**

* * *

 ****The world was quiet save for the occasional sounds coming from the forest below. Luminescent rays of the moon broke through the cracks in the cloudy sky as the inhabitants of the world continued their slumber. Except for one. Zooming above the trees a Pegasus breathed heavily, his saddle bag weighed down by it's contents. Daring a glance back he immediately regretted his decision as four fast shapes flew closer and closer, an unearthly shriek piercing the cold night air. The Pegasus shivered as the shrieks continued. He glanced down at the thick forest below and decided it was time to disappear into the foliage. Twisting his body he shot downwards, the shapes following his movements seconds after. Disappearing below the canopy the young Pegasus dove immediately for a bramblewood thicket, hissing in pain as the sharp thorns pierced through his thick cloak. Hearing the ominous wing beats the Pegasus held his breath.

The dark, shadow-like creatures descended through the leaves their shrieks ringing out across the forest. Seeing no movement they stalked through the area, their misshapen beaks clicking as they searched for their quarry. Hours passed. As the soft rays of the sun started peeking over the horizon the creatures finally left.

The young pegasus let loose a sigh of relief. "That was way too close for comfort. Way to go Finn." He muttered to himself. "Next time you want to infiltrate a Gloomstalker's nest maybe you should wear a bell next time just to make it easier for them to find you. Ol' Rock is gonna have a field day when you send in this report."

The pegasus now know as Finn winced as he began untangling himself from the bramblewood thicket. "Maybe I'll leave the part where I tripped over my own cloak out." He muttered. "Not like anypony witnessed me."

After getting his items together he took a quick glance in his saddlebag. He frowned at the items currently sitting in it. There were several old scrolls and figurines, however the thing that chilled him the most was the black and red jeweled crown radiated dark magic. Even being around it made Finn nauseous.

"Time to report back to Canterlot, five months is a long time to be gone after all." Finn pulled out his maps and navigation tools. After munching on some long stale oats he plotted his course back into Equestrian lands.

"I should stop by the Crystal Empire and restock on equipment," He spoke quietly, slowly munching on his oats. "Plus report my findings to Princess Cadance before heading back to Canterlot. Who knows maybe this time I'll get some vacation days off."

He chuckled at his own joke. Ranger's never took vacations. Packing up his things he pulled the thick hood of his cloak over his face and took off into the morning sky. Breaking through the canopy he marveled at how beautiful the sights was. Miles of forest below him, mountains that reached high into the skies around him, and a bright sunny day with scattered patches of clouds dominated the sky. He kept his eyes on the swivel as he let his mind wander, remembering the time he became one of the Royal Rangers, under the direct command of Princesses Celestia and Luna.

* * *

 _It was the proudest day of his life. After two years of harsh training he was one of three who made it to graduation. His friends had been assigned to other parts of Equestria respectfully as Guardian Rangers but Finn didn't want that life, surrounded by cities and familiarity. No, he preferred to wilds and the adventure of the unknown. When asked where he would have liked to be stationed Finn's immediate response was to be a Reconnaissance Ranger. It was a dangerous role reserved only for the bravest of the Rangers. Their job was to venture into the Unknown, well outside Equestria, to gather information and possibly find new resources for the kingdom. In recent years the number of these ponies declined, eventually leaving only two Rangers in the active Recon roles._

 _After much insistence and further training, Finn made his first flight past the Yaket Range. Wondering what lay ahead of him made him shiver in anticipation, knowing whatever lay ahead he would be ready for. How wrong he was._

 _The weather was unpredictable and violent, seas churned and swelled to towering heights, the ground would be ripped open as fire burst forth from it. At times the sky was clear and beautiful, but relax one minute and suddenly hurricane force winds and rain would threaten to throw you against the numerous floating rocks. At times the wind would freeze you and as soon as you tried to warm up The sun would be out in magnified force, causing lakes and rivers to dry within hours. That was nothing compared to the ones that inhabited these areas._

 _Monsters and beasts of all shapes and sizes roamed these lands in full stride. Finn was quickly reminded that he was the stranger here, and there was no help for him available. His first mission out in these wilds terrified him. He was ready to throw in the towel and ask to be transferred and become a Guardian Ranger. As he battled his way across the stormy sky he would have been killed if someone hadn't rescued him. It was another Recon Ranger by the name of Rock Steady that helped young Finn out. After nursing him back to strength Rock taught Finn all the tricks they learned to survive out in the Unknown. Months flew by and the two met up with the other Recon Ranger, a rather odd Unicorn named Summer Shades. She was a survival specialist and as the three made their way back to Equestria Finn learned all manners of skills from the two of them._

 _As they parted ways once they reached the border Rock turned to Finn. "Look young'un. These wilds aren't meant for anypony. They can drive you insane and end you in over a hundred different ways. But if you want to learn how to survive here it takes more than just a few months. You've already seen more in these past months than most ponies will ever see in their lifetime. It'd be a shame for you to give up that freedom."_

* * *

Finn snapped back to reality as rain started coming down hard. "Guess you were right, Rock. I'm already too attached to this too give it up." Pulling down his goggles Finn steeled himself and flew into the storm.

It wasn't until the sun rose three times did Finn make it to the Crystal Empire. Barely able to keep his eyes open he landed just outside the castle steps. As he approached the doors the guards stopped him, giving a quizzical look at the hooded stranger.

"Do you have business here?" One pony asked in a professional tone.

Finn barely kept his eyes from rolling. Another reason he preferred the wilds was the lack of formality. Nevertheless he straightened his cloak and showed the badged on his scarf.

"Equestria Royal Ranger number twenty-seven, Reconnaissance Division. Here to restock and report in to Princess Cadance before making my way to Canterlot Headquarters."

The two guards immediately snapped to attention. While Rangers weren't members of the standing army, their training put them at the officer equivalent of Lieutenant and during conflicts the Rangers could be called upon to lead part of Equestria's forces.

Once he was show to his quarters Finn decided to wash up. Months in the Unknown one didn't really notice their smell until they made back into the border. After he cleaned up Finn made his way to the audience chambers.

"Is Princess Cadance available for me to report in?" Finn asked. The guard pony nodded and opened the doors.

Once again Finn was amazed at the sheer beauty if the Crystal Palace. While he himself could never feel comfortable surrounded by such luxuries he couldn't help but feel a little jealous for the guards stationed here. A warm meal and an actual bed could do wonders for someone's morale.

As Finn approached the throne he gave a bow to the pink princess. "Princess Cadance, Ranger twenty-seven here to report before returning to headquarters."

The pink alicorn laughed. "Come now Finn, please drop the formality. You've proven to be a loyal friend to the Crystal Empire when you rescued our ponies from the snow creatures that came from Mount Everhoof. You can lower your hood around us"

Finn kept his head bowed. "You give me too much credit, Princess. I did only as I was trained to do."

Cadance smiled at her husband who returned it knowingly. They knew the Reconnaissance Rangers were all business whenever they donned on their scarves and cloaks. Nopony could understand what these ponies went through to keep Equestria safe. However, with that came a loneliness among them that very few ponies could understand. Unlike their counterparts who were stationed around Equestria and in contact with others, the Recon ponies spent their days flying solo beyond the border.

After delivering his report Finn gathered his equipment and took a quick nap. Feeling recharged he quickly stretched his wings he took off once again towards Canterlot.

Finn had to admit, after months of flying in the Unknown's crazy weather, flying in the familiar skies of Equestria was a welcoming change. After soaring past the Crystal Mountains and doing a flyby down Neighagra Falls he saw the familiar buildings of Canterlot make their way onto the horizon. Zooming past the rooftops Finn landed in front of the castle gates.

Nodding to the guards he made sure his uniform was in proper order and proceeded to the audience hall. Once the doors opened he made his way into the hall. He could make out the smiling face of the white Alicorn past his hood. Off to her side he saw the Lunar Princess, her face neutral as she watched him approach.

As he reached the steps he lowered his hood and bowed, silently hoping his mane wasn't too messy. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Ranger number twenty-seven here to report on his findings in the Unknown."

Celestia smiled at the young colt. She remembered the first time she visited the training grounds years ago when he accidentally knocked over the marching line. She silently laughed remembering the clumsy young colt. Years later he proved to be a wonderful asset to the Rangers as he finished each mission with flying colors. However while many looked at it as talent she knew he spent countless nights training until he collapsed. Here was a young pony who took on one of the most demanding jobs in the kingdom and never asked for anything in return.

" - And so my latest findings include this crown, and several scrolls which I could not decipher. The language doesn't match anything we've gathered, however my guess is that it has something to do with a ritual of sorts." Finn finished, placing each item in front of him.

"Excellent work, Ranger twenty-seven." Luna said. "We'll place these items in the vault and start investigating immediately."

Finn bowed. "Thank you, Princess Luna. Once I've made the repairs to my equipment I'll head back out immediately."

Celestia's eyes widened. "You mean you're not going to take a rest? You've been gone for five months, twice as long as anypony has ever spent in the Unknown!"

The young pegasus nodded. "Yes Princess Celestia, I need to continue our work out there. Ever since Rock Steady retired there is only Ranger fourteen and myself making these expeditions. We need to find out more about these artifacts and I don't think I'll be much use finding answers here."

The Solar Princess sighed. A colt as young as him should be relishing a break, not throwing himself back into the Unknown repeatedly. "Very well, twenty-seven, you are dismissed."

With a bow Finn left the audience chamber. Making his way to the barracks he enjoyed the cool night air as he walked through the quieter streets of Canterlot. He stopped to pick up a hay burger and daisy fries before retiring to his room and hanging up his cloak. As he munched on his food he began reading his training manual, the words of Rock Steady coming back into his mind.

" _Those who neglect the basics might as well be prepared to fail!"_

"Wonder how retirement is treating you, Rock. Hope you're enjoying it." Finn said, absently chewing his fries.

"If you bothered to come by more than once a blue moon I could tell you all about it," Came a gruff voice.

With a startled yelp Finn fell out of his bed, spilling his food everywhere. Standing in the doorway was the familiar rough face of his old mentor.

"Looks like I've still got it if I can catch you off guard, rookie." Rock grinned as he watched the younger colt pick himself off the floor.

"Good to see you too, old timer." Finn grumbled, looking forlornly at his spilled fries. "Isn't past your bedtime?"

"Glad to see you're still respectful to your seniors," Rock looked at him in amusement. "And here I was worrying you'd forgotten your manners at the border."

Finn gave a small chuckle. "I'll remember to pick them up when I head back over that way."

Rock's smile faded a little. "You might want to remember them a little sooner than that, rookie."

Before Finn could ask what he was talking about, a second figure stepped into the doorway. Finn's jaw almost dropped as Princess Celestia smiled at the two ponies. He hastily dropped down to bow and Finn suddenly became self conscious about not wearing his cloak.

"Please Finn, stand." Princess Celestia watched the young colt rise from his bow. "I was just wondering if Rock and I could have a word with you."

"Of course, Princess," Finn said smartly. "You needn't even ask."

"Wonderful, let's take a walk shall we?" Princess Celestia turned and headed back towards the palace.

Finn quickly straightened out his mane and as he reached for his cloak the Princess's voice stopped him.

"You won't need that for this, Finn." As he turned to look at her in surprise she looked in his eyes. "I would like to have a conversation with the young colt Path Finder, not Ranger twenty-seven."

After some slight hesitation Finn followed the Princess and Rock up towards the castle. They walked in silence and it wasn't until they reached the palace gardens did the Princess turn to him.

"Finn, do you remember when I visited your training camp during your first year of training?"

The young colt nodded sheepishly. No way he'd forget that. He was so excited and eager to please he feel and tripped the entire parade line. His first chance to show the Princess what he could do and he royally messed up. He remembered the embarrassment the following months to come. He wondered where the Princess was going with this.

"After that I watched you train and train more than anypony else. I saw you overcome your setbacks despite all the teasing you were put through. I was proud to pin that badge onto your scarf." The Princess turned to him.

Finn just stared. He didn't know how to respond. Looking at the Princess in silence she continued.

"After you joined the Rangers and wished to be assigned to the Recon Division I wanted nothing more than to ask you to reconsider your decision. It wasn't the life for a young colt. Always in danger and alone. It's not a life for anypony, however we have a few exceptional ponies who are willing to go beyond our borders for the betterment of the kingdom." The Princess smiled at him and Rock, who had been sitting quietly to the side.

"Those ponies give up so much of their time working for the kingdom there is no time for anything else." Celestia continued. "Of course I'm talking about you, Rock Steady, and Summer Shades. You three have been exceptional in your work."

Finn was looking at his hooves in embarrassment. He wasn't used to this kind of praise. A simple "Good work" was enough for him. Listening to the Princess made him wish he could hide his reddening face under his hood.

"However, there comes a time I feel I must intervene." Celestia's voice changed. "Finn, can you tell me how many friends you've made in all your time working here? Close friends I mean, not fellow guard ponies"

The colt looked surprised. He wasn't expecting a question like this. "Uhhh…. well…. there's Rock. He's a friend. Also… Summer Shades and I are on good terms…"

Rock shook his head. "The Princess is talkin about real friends, close to your age rookie." He sighed as Finn turned to him with a hurt expression. "Don't misunderstand, you've been a great little buddy to mentor, and I know Summer Shades think that too even if she doesn't want to admit it. But let's be honest here rookie, you're still young enough to be my grandfoal."

Celestia turned to Finn. "You see Finn, what's been bothering me is that you are growing up too fast. You've taken on such a responsibility that you haven't taken the time to slow down and enjoy your youth. Colts your age should be enjoying their time off with friends, not consistently training in isolation."

"Princess, I don't understand." Finn began. "Being part of the Recon Division means being mission ready at any moment's notice. I don't have time to make friends when I have to be prepared for anything beyond the border at anytime."

"Then I suppose you'll have to find a new way to prepare for your next mission." Celestia stood up to her full height.

"Princess?" Finn kneeled and looked up at her.

"Path Finder, Ranger twenty-seven of the Equestria Royal Rangers," Celestia began, hoping her next choice of words were the correct ones. "I Princess Celestia give your your next assignment. For the next three months you are assigned to provide aid and security to my student in Ponyville. Rock Steady has agreed to temporarily be reactivated as a Ranger and will take charge of your assignments beyond the border."

* * *

 **Well there you go, my first chapter done! Hope you liked it. I know reading about an OC may be boring but I'm going to try and give him some better character development throughout this story. Again, this guy popped into my mind one tired evening so I decided to just jot it down. I hope the next chapter will be better than this one.**

 **See you next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! Thank you for those who took time to read my story! So just for clarification Path Finder (Finn) is based off of me. I often find myself working a lot and one day I actually worked myself sick and I was chewed out really hard for not taking care of myself. Anyways enough about me.**

 **To That Language Guy: Thank you for your kind words. I hope I can live up to your expectations for this story!**

 **Without any further ado, I'm happy to present to you the next chapter in the not so epic quest to make a friend!**

* * *

Finn kept staring at his saddlebags, his mind blank and unfocused. The events of last night still replayed in his head.

" _What?" Finn gasped in shock. "Princess Celestia, with all due respect I - "_

" _Have no choice but to accept the mission," Interjected Rock sternly. Finn winced and looked at him. Rock's face remained stoic as he continued. "Princess Celestia is giving you an assignment, Ranger. You swore an oath to follow her orders to the very best of your ability. Don't argue this and make the weight of those promises meaningless."_

 _The young pony looked down in shame. Rock was right. His Princess gave him a mission and he swore to follow her commands._

 _Celestia looked down at him softly. "I know you aren't happy about this Finn, but I believe it is what's best for you at the moment."_

" _Princess Celestia, I just don't understand." Finn spoke hesitantly. "I'm a Recon Ranger. The badge I earned to be able to say that means the absolute world to me. My training isn't suited for being a guard pony, it's more suited to working alone."_

" _And that's why you need this, Finn." Celestia said simply. "I know you have worked hard to achieve what you have, but let me ask you a question. When you earned your badge, arguably the biggest moment of your life, who was there to celebrate with you? Aside from the guards that were there for ceremony and the family of the other ponies who graduated with you, who attended the ceremony to be there for you and celebrate such a joyous event with you?"_

 _Finn suddenly found the ground very interesting. Taking a deep breath he looked up. "Nopony was there just for me."_

 _Rock stepped forward. "Remember the end of your first assignment in the Unknown, Rookie? You were a mess. I was wondering why no pony came to greet you when we got back to Canterlot. When I came to check on you a few days later I was surprised to see you still in shock and shaking under your covers, I thought you were out and telling your friends all about your adventures."_

" _I didn't think anypony would've understood what it was like out there." Finn turned to look at his mentor._

" _Maybe, but you'd never know would you?" Rock replied. Finn remained silent._

 _Celestia stepped forward towards him. "Finn, I understand you are upset at this, but let me assure you this is by no means meant to be a punishment. Think of this as extended training."_

 _Looking at his Princess, Finn bowed his head. "But what about Rock, Princess Celestia? I thought his retirement was -"_

" _Too boring," Rock interrupted. "I may be older than most ponies in the Rangers but years of adventuring left it's mark on me. I'm too fond of the wilds beyond our border. When the Princess approached me asking if I would help you I jumped at the chance to travel again."_

 _Finn looked between the two and nodded in defeat. "Very well, I shall take this assignment and protect Princess Celestia's student in Ponyville to the very best of my abilities."_

 _Princess Celestia chuckled. "Finn, protecting her is only on paper. Your true mission is to assist her in her studies of friendship and possibly learn a thing or two from her. She and her friends are more than capable of protecting themselves and you need to learn to slow down and enjoy your youth."_

 _Finn nodded. "I will do my best Princess. Although, may I make a request?"_

" _Of course Finn, what is it?"_

" _If I may, can I take some of the scrolls and documents I found from my last flight out? If I can't be out there I'd still like to feel I'm contributing something to the investigation."_

 _Rock laughed. "Guess even when you're ordered to relax you can't help but work."_

 _Finn rubbed the back of his head as he nodded. Celestia smiled at him. "I don't see why not, however, do make an attempt to not bury yourself in the work. I'll let you take two scrolls at a time, does that sound fair to you?"_

 _The younger pony nodded. "Thank you Princess Celestia, I'll start packing and be prepared to leave first thing tomorrow morning."_

* * *

Now that the sun was peeking over the horizon Finn gathered his belongings and threw on his cloak. Pulling the hood over his face he stepped out into the quiet streets of Canterlot. Making his way towards the palace he fell into step with another pony dressed in a similar dark colored cloak. Silently the two made their way into the palace and towards the Ranger vault.

Once inside the two lowered their hoods. Finn smiled as Rock pulled his hood back.

"Can't believe you're up this early old timer." Finn joked as he started sorting through the numerous scrolls in the vault.

Rock chuckled and playfully slapped the back of Finn's head. "I'm not that old yet, rookie. I could still run to the Crystal Empire and back before you even finish your morning tea."

The two bantered back and forth for a bit before the morning bells tolled and signaled the start of the day. After finding the scrolls he wanted Finn turned to Rock.

"Good luck out there Rock. Watch your back and stay alert."

Rock ginned. "Thanks rookie, and I will. You enjoy some downtime and take it easy yeah?"

"I will," Finn nodded. "Although it'll be hard to stay still in one place for over three months."

The two pulled their hoods back over their heads and made their way towards the train station. Once they made it to the platforms Rock turned his head towards the younger pony. "Make sure you check in with the mayor when you get there. She should have accommodations set up for you."

Finn nodded. "Right. This should be an interesting three months."

* * *

A couple hours later Finn stepped off the train and took his first glance at Ponyville. It seemed pleasant enough and the ponies sounded friendly. Although he did notice he attracted some odd stares, mostly due to his cloaked figure.

"Right, maybe the cloak stands out too much." Finn muttered to himself.

Grabbing his bags he headed towards the town hall. Once he introduced himself to Mayor Mare he was shown to his guest cottage located just on the edge of Ponyville. It was a comfortable looking two story house and furnished simply. Setting his bags down he began to unpack. Taking out the scrolls and his other writing tools he set up his desk area. Once he was settled in Finn took a look in the mirror and noticed all of the holes and tears in his cloak.

"Whoops, guess I forgot to patch you up, didn't I?" Finn mused, looking for his sewing kit. Unable to find it he sighed.

"Looks like I'll need to pick up some more thread." Finn looked around at the clock. "Well looks like I can pick some up while I go grab some lunch."

Grabbing his cloak he made his way into town. After walking around he found a nice looking cafe and ordered a salad. Once his food came he decided to take in his surroundings. One of the first things he noticed was the fresh and lively atmosphere of the town. All sorts of mouthwatering smells wafted through the air around the central market area, and from what Finn could see every pony seemed a lot more relaxed than the uptight ponies he was used to seeing in Canterlot.

Finishing his meal Finn decided to pick up some materials to repair his cloak. After wandering around the town Finn found himself outside of a small tent that was proudly displaying many different colors of thread and fabrics. Looking through the selection he found the same color thread that matched his cloak. As he turned to pay for his items he accidentally bumped into somepony else.

"Oof! I'm sorry," Finn said, standing back up and offering a hoof. "I didn't mean to bump into you like that."

"That's quite alright, darling" Came the reply. "I should have paid more attention to where I was going."

As the new pony accepted the offered hoof Finn got a good look at the new pony. She was quite pretty, a pure white coat and curled dark purple mane framed a glamorous face. As she stood up Finn noticed her spilled packages.

"Here, let me help you with your packages, miss" Finn said, picking up a couple of the packages.

"Well aren't you the gentlecolt," The mare smiled as her horn glowed to pick up the rest of her packages. "And please, you can just call me Rarity. Now who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

Finn finished balancing the last package in his back and paid for his materials. "I'm Path Finder. I just got into Ponyville today"

"Oh my, where did you come from if you don't mind me asking?" Rarity questioned as the two started walking.

Finn kept an eye on the packages he had balanced."I'm from Canterlot, but I travel all over so I'm not home very often."

"I have to say darling, you don't strike me as a Canterlot pony." Rarity replied before quickly adding "Not that I don't believe you."

"It's alright," Finn chuckled. "I know I kind of stick out."

The two ponies walked until they reached a large purple and pink building. Unlocking the door Rarity ushered him in and signaled where she wanted the packages placed. Once he removed the packages Finn looked around. The numerous fabrics and designs lined the walls of the interior while the displays showed many intricate creations.

"These are quite impressive, Rarity" Finn said, turning to the mare. "I'm guessing you made all of these by yourself?"

"Of course darling," Rarity said proudly. "These creations of mine are the jewels of my work. I'm quite happy with how they turned out."

Finn nodded in agreement. "You should be."

Rarity turned to him. "Now, what brings you to Ponyville, Path Finder?"

"Umm… I'm supposed to find one of Princess Celestia's students here and check in with her. Somepony named Twilight Sparkle?" Finn said taking out his letter and going over it's contents regarding his assignment.

"Oh, so you're the pony Twilight said was coming!" Rarity exclaimed excitedly.

Finn's eyes widened. "She knew? I was only told about my coming here last night."

Rarity laughed. "Twilight learned about it last night as well. We were all eating dinner when she found out."

Finn put his letter away. "I guess I should go talk to her then. Where can I find her?"

"I'll show you the way darling," Rarity said happily. "As a thank you for helping me with those packages."

"Oh okay," Finn nodded. "Thank you Rarity. I'm not that familiar with the town yet anyways."

As the two of them walk towards Twilight's house Finn kept quiet as Rarity talked and pointed out different buildings. He saw many different buildings and tried to remember the things Rarity was telling him. After a while they stopped in front of a large tree.

"Golden Oaks Library?" Finn asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rarity nodded. "Twilight is quite serious about her studies and the library was the best place for her."

Finn shrugged as Rarity opened the door.

"Twilight!" Rarity called out. "You have a guest, darling!"

Finn walked in and instantly he felt at home among all the books. He could tell already most of his time would be among these pages. As the sound of approaching hoofbeats grew in his ear Finn turned around and his jaw dropped. Approaching him was the cutest mare he had ever seen.

"Hello," The beautiful mare said, smiling and offering her hoof. "You must be Path Finder. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

* * *

 **Well there we go, another chapter down! I hope you enjoyed it! As for the Twilight entrance, she is one of the most relatable characters for me at the beginning of MLP. Personally I wasn't the best at making friends and reading was all I did seeing as I never had a TV growing up. Anyways more to come soon! See you next time!**

 **Also if you were wondering what Path Finder looks like the picture is in my Bio.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everypony! First off, thanks to all that have given my story a chance! I didn't expect it to get as many views as it has! I hope this next chapter won't disappoint!**

 **To Some Guy: Thank you for your kind words. Like I said I hope not to disappoint!**

 **Without any further ado, I present the next chapter in the Not so Epic Quest to Make a Friend!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story except for Path Finder and Rock Steady.**

* * *

"Uhhhh…." Finn said intelligently. "Meet you pleased to, I mean you to pleased meet, wait -"

He was cut off by the small laugh that came from the mare in front of him. Red faced, Finn shook her offered hoof.

"Sorry, I meant pleased to meet you." Finn corrected himself lamely. "I guess that wasn't the best first impression, was it?"

"No problem," Twilight said, still smiling alongside Rarity. "From what I hear you really don't speak to many other ponies, do you?"

'Not many cute one's like her anyways' Finn thought, shaking his head. "No, I'm more of a background pony than most others."

Twilight nodded. "Princess Celestia told me that one of her guards was coming to Ponyville, though honestly I wasn't expecting her to send a Ranger."

Rarity's eyes widened. "Gracious! You're a member of the Rangers? Forgive me dear, but you look so… young. About our age in fact. I thought all the Ranger's were older."

"Most of them are," Finn said. "Not many make it past the training camp. I was one of three that graduated. My fellow graduates took assignments in other parts of Equestria while my assignment involved a lot more… traveling."

"Oh, whereabouts have you traveled?" Twilight asked with obvious interest. "If you don't mind me asking that is" She added quickly.

Finn shook his head. "I don't mind, though please understand if I don't go into detail about most of it as it's pretty sensitive information."

The two mares nodded and leaned in eagerly. Finn cleared his throat and as he was about to speak a knock sounded on the door.

"Oh, darn." Twilight said, walking towards the door. "Sorry about that interruption, Path Finder."

"No problem," Path Finder responded quickly. "Actually I should be going soon too. I just meant to let you know I was in town."

Twilight was about to say something before the door of the library burst open. In came a frantic looking cyan colored pegasus.

"Twilight, we need your help. You too Rarity!"

"Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?" Twilight asked, a little alarmed at her friend's sudden outburst.

The pegasus introduced as Rainbow Dash had already turned around ready to leave. "Cheerilee ran back into town saying some of the fillies that went on that nature hike today are missing! Applejack and Fluttershy are already out there looking!"

"What about my Sweetie Belle?" Rarity shrieked, running out the door.

Twilight turned to see Finn throw on his cloak and pull his hood up. "I take it we can count on you to help?"

"Is that even a question?" Finn responded. "I may be a stranger around here but I'd bring shame to the rank of Ranger if I didn't help out. Now, I should follow the other pegasus before she gets too far away."

As Finn raced out the door he saw Rainbow Dash had already blasted into the sky. Following the rapidly disappearing rainbow trail he dropped into a crouch and readied his wings for takeoff. Once he was sure of his target he shot off into the sky and raced after the other pegasus. As he caught up to her he called out a greeting.

"Names Path Finder, a member of the Equestria Royal Rangers. That aside I hear you need help with some missing fillies?"

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash called back, not turning to look at him. "A group of them got distracted and ended up getting separated from the main school group. From what their teacher said we're missing five fillies in total."

Finn nodded, as the two flew at high speeds towards the nature trail. Once they arrived Finn saw two mares waving among a group of other ponies. Hovering over to them Finn remained silent as they greeted Rainbow Dash.

"Howdy Dash," one of the mares greeted. "Ah sure am glad ya can help us. Applebloom an some of her friends got themselves lost chasin after some creature on their scavenger hunt."

The other mare nodded in agreement and Finn had to lean in a bit closer to hear what she had to say.

"We're close to the Everfree forest" she was saying softly. "I do hope they haven't found themselves in any trouble."

Some of the other ponies were murmuring among each other until one called out "Twilight!"

Finn turned to see the mulberry colored pony galloping up to the crowd. Once she arrived Twilight wasted no time in dividing ponies into search groups Once every pony had been sorted she turned to face him. Finn dropped down from his hovering and waited for her to speak.

"The sooner we get going the better. I know you're not familiar with the area but I'm sure you know how to handle yourself. If you see anything just shout. We'll hear you."

"Hey Sugarcube," the orange mare trotted up to them. "Ah 'preciate y'all helpin us out. You too, Stranger."

Finn nodded as Twilight responded. "No problem at all Applejack. Let's hurry and start looking. Path Finder, I'm counting on you"

Thanking his cloak for hiding his quickly reddening face Finn gave a curt nod before taking off and started his search.

* * *

After flying the search pattern that was drilled into him all throughout rescue training he decided to fly under the canopy. Looking around he saw a couple groups in the distance. He looked at the area below him and saw just how far away he was from the starting area. He also saw Rainbow Dash and other pegasi circling around the surrounding forest.

"Come on, little fillies" He muttered to himself. "Give a shout or something."

Flapping his wings he repositioned his body and dove under the canopy of the forest. As he looked around he saw a positive sign. Whatever came through this area wasn't worried about leaving a trail. Many broken twigs and small hoofprints were easily spotted among the mud. Smirking, Finn started following the prints. After what seemed like a while he heard faint screaming.

"Found you," he said before rushing forward and reached the opening of a small cave. The screaming was slightly drowned due to the waterfall but there was an unmistakable sound that made Finn's blood chill.

Loud barking and snarls came from the cave and Finn rushed to the entrance to see two large timberwolves trying to reach the group of terrified fillies tucked into a smaller alcove in the wall. Seeing the shaking fillies Finn charged into action.

Charging forward he slammed into the first timberwolf. Not stopping to see the damage Finn spun on his front legs and let loose a devastating double hoof kick into the face of the other wolf. With a satisfying crack he felt his attack find purchase. Wheeling around Finn placed himself between the alcove and the recovering wolves.

"It's okay, fillies." Finn said loudly, fighting to keep his voice calm. "You're safe now, I'm here to rescue you."

" _Remember rookie,"_ Rock's words came into his mind. " _When rescuing or protecting anypony, remain encouraging. Let them know that now that you're there, everything is going to be alright. Even if you're scared and doubtful, don't show it."_

"Easier said than done, Rock" Finn muttered, dropping into a ready stance, eyeing the two wolves now up and snarling at him.

"Please! Please help us! I don't want to be eaten!"

"Make them go away!"

"Hurry, Diamond Tiara needs help right away"

"She's hurt pretty bad!"

Finn narrowed his eyes. This was not a good situation. There were wolves in front and fillies behind him, and apparently one was injured. Not knowing the extent of those injuries was the most concerning.

As the wolves took a step closer Finn made his decision. Rearing up he stood on his hind legs and spread his wings, trying to make himself look bigger.

"Stay there, fillies!" He shouted. "I'll take care of these wolves and then we can all go home!"

Taking the initiative Finn charged forward. Leaping up used his wings to give him an extra push up to the lower ceiling. Narrowly avoiding the wolves snapping jaws he pushed off the ceiling straight down onto the first wolf. With the force of the blow he felt the body of the wolf break underneath him. Without a moment to regain his balance the second wolf leapt at him, sinking its teeth into his shoulder and pinning him to the ground.

Gritting his teeth as to not scream in pain as he felt the searing pain shoot through him Finn struggled as the wolf used it's hind claws to score a series of scratches at Finn's defenseless side and stomach. Bearing though the pain Finn did the only thing he could think of. Grabbing the wolf's head he brought it down and smashed the creature's nose with a headbutt. With a yelp the wolf leaped back and Finn got to his hooves, his vision swimming and balance unsteady as he felt his shoulder continue to bleed. He knew he couldn't prolong this fight.

Seeing the wolf ready to leap at him again Finn started loosening his cloak. Crouching low he made it look as if he was surrendering. With a snarl the wolf took the bait and charged. As it's foul jaws opened Finn quickly spread his wings to make the cloak fly up. Ducking under the leap Finn turned and watched as the wolf's jaws close around the cloak and the rest of the material covered the rest of the wolf's face. Taking advantage of his adversary's momentary blindness Finn swept the legs out from under the wolf and without missing a beat reared up and brought his front hooves down on the head with as much force as he could muster.

The cave was now silent save for Finn's heavy breathing and the whimpering sobs of the fillies. Untangling his cloak he redid the fastenings and walked over to the alcove.

"It's okay now. The timberwolves won't be bothering you anymore." He said gently. "Let's get you fillies home."

One by one the fillies stepped out nervously. He could tell they were still scared and his hooded visage wasn't easing their fears too much.

"My name is Path Finder, a member of the Equestria Royal Rangers." He introduced himself with a gentle tone. "I heard that one of you was hurt badly?"

"That would be me," a young pale pinkish earth pony spoke up.

Finn looked at her. She was shaken but now that things seemed to be under control for the moment she had a haughty tone to her. Looking at her Finn saw besides a couple of bumps and scrapes that marked all of them, her left hind leg was swollen pretty bad.

"Right," Finn said. "I don't have any medical supplies on me at the moment so for now this will have to do."

"What do you think you're - eep!" The pink filly squeaked as Finn picked her up and placed her on his back.

"The less you walk the better, and this seems like the best option. Now, let's go find the others."

Finn grunted in pain as the group made their way back onto the trail. Going at a fast pace with his injuries and carrying a filly on his back made him regret not signaling for help before leaping into the fight.

'Too late to complain or regret now.' He thought to himself. 'Rock did always say I got too impulsive and I guess this is what he tried to warn me about.'

The fillies were in a lot higher spirits as they got onto the main trail. At Finn's request they started calling out for the other search groups.

A little time went by when all of the sudden Finn felt his vision swim and he stumbled a bit.

"Hey! Careful where you're walking!" came the shout in his ear from the filly on his back who introduced herself earlier as Diamond Tiara.

She and her friend Silver Spoon had been following the other fillies Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle when they spotted a creature from their scavenger hunt and decided to chase it. The fillies soon found themselves lost and had been chased by the timberwolves into the cave.

Taking a pause Finn set the filly down and sat next to one of the trees. "Sorry, Diamond Tiara. Give me just a couple minutes here to catch my breath, then we can keep moving."

"What do mean a couple of minutes? I want to go home right - " Diamond Tiara stopped and gasped at the amount of blood that was coming from him.

"Girls!" She shouted at the other fillies. "We need to get him help right away. He's bleeding a lot!"

"What do we do?"

"I don't know, but we to stop the bleeding!"

"With what?"

"I don't know!"

"Girls!" Finn said loudly, regretting it immediately as his body spasmed again in pain. "It's okay, you did your jobs wonderfully."

"Huh?" The fillies looked to one another in confusion. Looking back at their hooded savior they saw him pointing at the sky. Adjusting their gaze they saw zooming towards them was a familiar blue streak.

"You're all okay!" Came the excited shout of Rainbow Dash. "I'm glad to see you're all safe!"

Flying a bit higher she shouted out "Everypony! They're over here!"

Within minutes the search party made it to the area. Everyone looked relieved to see all five of the fillies safe. Finn smiled tiredly as he saw Applejack and Rarity smother their little sisters in affection. Nopony really paid him much mind as their focus was on the found fillies. As Nurse Redheart was tending to Diamond Tiara the filly spoke up. "Everypony listen! We're all fine thanks to the Ranger but he needs help. He's bleeding from the fight with the Timberwolves!"

A gasp came from the crowd as they looked to where she was they saw the bloodied, cloaked pony. As a couple of them moved forward to help Finn held up a hoof.

"I'll be okay, really. I just need a breather then I'll be right as rain." He saw the uncertainty in their eyes.

"No, you're not okay!" Diamond tiara said loudly. "That timberwolf bit you really bad!"

Finn stood up as steadily as he could and walked over to the filly. Taking a moment to catch his breath he spoke as evenly as he could. "Thanks for looking out for me." He said, rubbing her mane. "But I can handle a little pain. My job is to make sure you fillies are safe and sound. Now that you're not missing anymore we can all head back and -"

Before he could finish his legs gave out and he collapsed right in front of everypony. The last thing he saw was the sight of multiple ponies rushing to help him, prominent among them was a familiar mulberry colored mare.

* * *

 **Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed it and I thank you for taking the time to read my little tale here. As always if you have questions feel free to ask, any advice you'd like to share please share, and of course a review is always appreciated. I hope you have a wonderful day or a pleasant evening and I will see you next time!**


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